Paleontology of the Past

Elmer Riggs’ Discovery at Dinosaur Hill

In 1900 Elmer Riggs, from the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, discovered what is now the bones of a 70 foot long, 30 ton Apatosaurus at Dinosaur Hill.He returned in 1901 with a crew and removed what turned out to be a major part of this dinosaur.Riggs transported the skeleton to Chicago where it has been on exhibit since 1908.

In 1991 and 1992 local paleontologists with mining crews reentered and expanded the mine on the southeastern side of Dinosaur Hill.They found tools used by Riggs’ crew and four Apatosaurus bones (three tail chevrons and a rib segment).